The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is finalizing plans to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) before the year ends, in a move that could reshape Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the next general elections.
Obi’s spokesperson, Val Obienyem, confirmed the development, which will also involve several prominent lawmakers and supporters from the South-East, including Senators Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye, and Enyinnaya Abaribe. A formal declaration event is scheduled for December 31 in Enugu, drawing supporters from across the region.
The move ends months of speculation about Obi’s political future and signals a significant consolidation of opposition forces.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed as “fake news” reports claiming he stepped down from the 2027 presidential race in favor of Obi.
The ADC’s national leadership has expressed its readiness to offer a credible alternative to the ruling APC, with spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi stating that the party aims to avoid repeating what he termed the governance failures that followed the 2015 political transition.
The party sees Obi’s entry as a pivotal moment to mobilize broader support and present a unified challenge in 2027.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
